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Following Pornhub’s decision to block access in Florida due to new age verification laws, the state has seen a significant increase in demand for VPNs (virtual private networks). Data from vpnMentor It indicates a staggering 1,150% increase in VPN interest within the first few hours of the site’s withdrawal on January 1, 2025.
This increase is attributed to Florida’s implementation of House Bill 3 (HB3), which Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law. The legislation stipulates that websites hosting adult content verify users’ ages through official identification, with the aim of preventing minors from accessing explicit material. Non-compliant platforms face fines of up to $50,000 per violation.
In response, Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company, restricted access to users in Florida, as it did in other states with similar laws, including Kentucky, Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, North Carolina, Montana, Mississippi, Virginia and Arkansas. , and Utah. Aiello criticized age verification methods as “ineffective, indiscriminate and dangerous”, expressing concerns about the collection of sensitive personal information and potential risks to user safety.
The spike in demand for VPNs indicates that many Floridians are looking for ways to bypass these restrictions. Using a VPN, users can hide their IP addresses and appear to be accessing the Internet from different locations, thus circumventing regional blocking. This trend reflects similar increases observed in other states after implementing similar laws. For example, Utah saw a 967% spike in VPN demand after Pornhub exited, and Texas saw a 234.8% spike.
Critics of age verification laws argue that such measures may inadvertently push users toward less regulated and potentially unsafe websites that do not enforce age verifications, thus increasing risks for adults and minors. Aiello noted that in Louisiana, where age verification was implemented earlier, traffic dropped by about 80%, suggesting that users have moved to other platforms that may not prioritize user safety or content moderation.
The debate over age verification for adult content continues to evolve, with legal challenges pending in various jurisdictions. The US Supreme Court is set to hear a case challenging the legality of Texas’ age verification law, which could set a precedent affecting similar legislation nationwide. As the situation evolves, the balance between protecting minors from explicit content and ensuring user privacy and safety remains a controversial issue, leading to ongoing discussions about the most effective and safe ways to regulate access to adult material online.
